Dancing with the Devil
by Lunabell Marauder Knyte
Summary: Dear Agony series Part 2:Damon is in Klaus' hands,Dean and the gang are hellbent on getting him back,but Klaus is ready to leave the country.Add Katherine to the mix claiming her love for Damon,Dean has more competition and obstacles to overcome.


**Title: **Dancing with the Devil

**Author: **Experiment 2637452

**Genre: **Romance/Angst

**Pairing: **Dean/Damon Damon/Klaus

**Rating**: M

**Summary**: Dear Agony series Part 2: The bastard took Damon from us, but it won't be long before we save him. I know he's not dead. I could see it in his eyes, he wanted my Damon. But I'll get him back. It's a plot, an elaborate dance between that bastard an I. Just remember, don't you dare look the devil in the eye.

Damon stood in one of the many apartments that Klaus had rented for them. He was overlooking the outside from a distance. Klaus' witches had yet to make him another ring to keep him from burning in the sun.

Damon sighed in boredom. He watched as people walked to an fro, wishing very badly to be able to mingle with them and lure one of those pathetic walking blood bags into a dark corner and suck them dry. He was hungry, yes, but he was even more bored. Klaus had left him a mini fridge full of blood bags but it wasn't the same. He would have already ventured off to get himself a meal with entertainment included but for the immortal life of him he wouldn't leave the room.

He stuck his hand out and the penetrating sun sizzled it. Hissing he withdrew his hand and closed the curtain properly. He still couldn't fully understand why he had left his ring behind. Over the century and a half he was called many things, nostalgic wasn't one of them, but damn if he didn't miss his ring. It made him better than most vampires who could only be out in the night, while he was free to roam always.

Flopping on the bed he let out an exaggerated sigh.

"Bored?"

Damon had heard footsteps approach and the door being unlocked. But he didn't move from his place. He was sprawled on the bed with one arm over his eyes.

"You go off to do whatever it is you do and leave me here on my own...what do you think," Damon replied.

"Sorry mate, but without your ring I can't risk you to the big ball of fire in the sky," Klaus said as he ventured to the bar and served himself a drink. "There's cable though."

"Right...why would I want to enjoy my immortal life doing awesome and mischievous things when I could be wasting it watching reruns of Young and the Restless?" Damon said sarcastically.

"Cheer up mate. By tonight you'll have your ring," Klaus said.

Damon slowly stood up and looked outside of the window again. The curtains were able to keep out the sun but were clear enough to see through them some.

"My phone is missing," Damon stated.

"I took it," Klaus replied.

"Why?" Damon asked, not looking at Klaus.

"Because we can't let those pathetic miscreants get a hold of you, now can we?" Klaus answered.

"Have my saint of a brother and his friends tried calling me?" Damon asked, looking a bit over at the Original.

Placing down his drink gently Klaus looked intently at Damon, "Do you _care_?"

"No," Damon replied without hesitation. "Just curious. After everything I've done I didn't think they'd be searching for me...also, I'm a bit pissed that I left them my ring. I've had that thing for over a hundred years. I still don't understand why I did that and it's driving me crazy."

Klaus 'hm'ed' and took a sip from his drink. Damon wasn't looking at him but out the window but Klaus's intense gaze never left the raven. Said raven opened the curtain a bit again and let the sun touch his finger, it sizzled.

Instantly Klaus was at his side. Eyes dilated as he asked, "What are you _thinking_ Damon?"

"...I'm confused as to why I'm here. There's a part of me that for some reason keeps wondering how fast I'll be able to burn in the sun...how long for me to get it over with."

_Here I stand, helpless and left for dead._

It had been weeks since the wedding. Everyone had been in a state of unease. In all the time that Klaus had caused problems it was always Damon who faced off with him in some way. At one point a lot of them had been forced to either cower away from him all together or be on his side. Not Damon though. He was always opposite of that monster. Always struggling against his methods and plans. Always coming up with battle ideas and ways to fix the problems. No matter how bad or evil Damon seemed, he was fighting for Mystic Falls. Everyone one took it a bit hard but it seemed that no one did more than Stefan, Alaric, and Dean.

Dean for his own reasons, Alaric because Damon was his best friend, and Stefan of course because his brother was in the hands of Klaus. Having himself been there before, Stefan was restless in finding his brother and saving him...if he wasn't already dead.

It was about a month or so later that the roaring of a black Chevy Impala rolled into Mystic Falls for the first time in a long time.

_Close your eyes, so many days go by.  
Easy to find what's wrong, harder to find what's right.  
_

Another day in Mystic Falls, another hour on earth, another minute in the bar, another second with the feelings in his chest.

Yet another day Dean finds himself drinking. After hours of not being able to come up with anything to help Damon, and unable to continue on sober while knowing his friend was in the mitts of evil, Dean found refuge in the bottom of a Jack Daniels.

Closing his eyes he leaned his head against the counter and tried to remember some easier days. Better days.

There were so few.

From the moment he took out the ring that protected Damon from the sun from his pocket, he barely thought of anything else.

Before long his marriage was annulled.

He wasn't surprised really. He had given it a shot. At least now he could say he shot for the Apple Pie Life, but as much as him and Sam dream of it, it wasn't for them. They've seen too much to fully put it behind them. They were forever bound to the supernatural. Even while living with Ben and Lisa Dean didn't stop looking for the supernatural. The windows and doors were underlined with salt, there were protective sigils under the mats and behind paintings and pictures. He still kept his car up to beat and ready for when the road would call again, he knew it eventually would. Always reading the paper looking for mysterious deaths, disappearances, and other odd things.

Lisa assumed that once they tied the knot that he'd go cold turkey. And he had told that to himself as well. Sam had been there to help him through but it was impossible for it not to happen. Sam, feeling guilty that he had basically been the one who sent Damon to Klaus, was trying his damn hardest to find him. Going back to Mystic Falls before Dean and learning everything about Klaus that he could. It made Dean feel completely helpless being stuck in another city away from where everyone else was planning and looking and doing _something_! Finally Lisa just let him go. She was heartbroken, but at the same time understood. There had been a few tears but they knew what it was. It was duty. Dean was a soldier and he was being called in once again. And unlike some other times that he dreaded it, this time he was more than eager to get back on the saddle.

Opening his eyes he looked around the bar. Memories flashed behind his eyes and he half expected to see Damon smirking at him from across the bar. Just like when they first met. But it was late and the bar, like the rest of the restaurant was nearly empty.

Downing the remaining of his drink Dean placed down enough bills to cover his tab and walked outside. He had walked there and now he was going to walk back to the hotel room he had rented.

Stopping under a street light Dean looked up and saw that there was nothing in the sky. No moon, no stars, no clouds...it was just empty. Everything seemed so empty now a days.

Under the light of the lamp Dean raised his left hand. Where his gold wedding band had been a few weeks ago was now Damon's sun ring. As painful as it was to look at without it being on Damon's own hand, it was even more painful getting rid of it.

He should have given it to Stefan, he knew he should, but he couldn't. Once the realization of what the ring being in _his_ hands meant crashed down on him, he clenched his hand over the ring and wouldn't open it again. They had already taken Damon from him, they weren't going to get the last thing he had of him.

_I believe in you, I can show you that I can see right through all your empty lies._

I won't stay long, in this world so wrong.

Sam knocked on Elena's house door and waited. He waited for a minute before Alaric opened the door.

"Hey Sam. Come on it," Alaric gestured for him to follow into the kitchen and Sam did.

"Thanks," Sam said.

"Can I offer you something?" Alaric said.

"No thank you. I was just wondering if you had any more information on Klaus," Sam asked.

The minute everyone had the chance they returned to Mystic Falls in hope of finding some clue or evidence that Damon had been there. There was none, but it seemed that Mystic Falls was a better places as any to look start looking.

One of the first things Sam demanded when he too finally arrived there was to demand to know everything they knew about Klaus. And boy was it a lot. He felt even more guilty that he had left in the first place. Though he also felt a bit angry that they hadn't called them back for help.

Again however Sam felt like he couldn't complain. When they left, it was sort of like a betrayal. Cutting off all communications and such, why did they expect to be called back in when something big like that happened. They weren't exactly friends anymore, but still.

"You have to stop blaming yourself Sam. It won't do any good. What's done is done and in reality, Klaus is a serious dick, whether you had a hand in it or not, it would have happened eventually," Alaric said.

Sam sighed, "I can't help it. I was the one to come and ask Damon for help. It was my fault he went looking for Klaus."

"No Sam. I was there when Damon answered Klaus' call. He would have lured Damon to him with something or other. Klaus just got lucky with the circumstances. And unfortunately there hasn't been any noise from Klaus," Alaric said.

"Do you know how Stefan is holding up?" Sam asked. He and Stefan had been close. Though their older brothers differed in their outer attitude, they were basically the same under their lairs. As much as Alaric, Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline have tried to tell him it wasn't his fault for Klaus' evilness, he still felt horrible about it, and even more so knowing that it could be his fault that Stefan's brother had been taken from him. Sam knew that whether it was intentional or accidental, he would have hated with all his might the person who was responsible for putting Dean in harms way.

"He's looking. I went with him a few days ago chasing after a lead," Alaric said and Sam perked up.

"And?"

"Well we arrived at a house that Klaus had previously used but it was empty when we got there," Alaric replied.

Sam's spirits faulted. They sat in silence for a minute. Both lost in thought.

"Hey Ric? What if we try going about this another way?" Sam asked.

"What do you mean?" Alaric asked.

"Well think about it. So far we've all been trying to do the same thing: find Klaus. That's not getting us anywhere," Sam said.

"I see what you're saying. Klaus is an expert on hiding and running away, after everything with Michael. But if we looked for Damon then we could widen the rage in our search...but it's still a long shot, Sam. Damon is with Klaus...Klaus wants Damon so he might make sure to keep him hidden." Alaric said.

"Wait...what if we're forgetting to ask ourselves an important question here. After everything you told me about Klaus this doesn't make much sense. He wanted Elena because she's the doppelganger. He wanted Stefan for his past reputation as a Ripper. Everyone he's ever gone after served a purpose to one of his plans. What does he need Damon for?" Sam asked.

Alaric's brows furrowed.

"You think he's up to something else? Something he'll need Damon for?" Alaric asked.

Sam shook his head and shrugged, "I can't be sure, but what I was getting at was more along the lines of asking why Damon? What purpose could Damon serve that someone else couldn't. Think about it, Klaus knows what taking Damon, or any of us, means. It means that there are a bunch of people hell bent on rescuing whoever was taken. As bad ass as Klaus thinks he is, it's an annoying thing to worry about."

"I see...after finally getting his freedom, his hybrids, and his family...what more does Klaus want? And what can Damon do that others can't?" Alaric said as he pasted the kitchen.

"I don't know..." Sam said.

"We need to discuss this...with _everyone_," Alaric said, giving Sam a pointed look. Everyone. Not just him and Alaric plus the girls. Stefan and Dean too.

Sam nodded and pulled out his cell. Alaric mimicked him and they began making calls.

__

Say goodbye, as we dance with the devil tonight.  
Don't you dare look at him in the eye, as we dance with the devil tonight

As Rebecca entered the nearly empty bar that her brother was, one of his witches walked passed her who just left the table where her brother now sat alone. Taking a seat across from him she was handed a drink by one of the waitresses under Klaus' compulsion.

Raising the glass to her lips she watched as her brother examined the item the witch had left with him.

A ring.

A ring with their family's crest.

"Putting your mark on sweet little Damon, brother?" Rebecca asked.

"Hm...he's very depressed about giving up his old one," Klaus said.

"How do you know he'll like this one then?" Rebecca asked.

"He's Damon. So long as he has his freedom back he won't care what it is," Klaus replied absently, caressing the insignia on the ring.

"But he _doesn't_ have his freedom, does he brother? At least not fully," said Rebecca.

Klaus's gaze snapped to his sister and he glared, "What's your point?"

Rebecca wasn't phased and she shrugged, "No point. Merely stating facts. You may not like it but you have to acknowledge brother that in getting what you want you are ignoring the second party of this..._relationship_."

"For someone you wasn't asked for their opinion, you sure do give one," Klaus said with a scowl as he pocketed the ring.

Rolling her eyes and looking around the bar she asked, "Where is he?"

"Getting a bite," Klaus replied curtly.

"Oh don't be like that Nick. Would you forgive me if I give you some information?" Rebecca asked.

"Depending on the information." Klaus replied.

"Mystic Falls is raging with activity. Our little Ripper is using every vampire connection he knows to track you down. He also has that witch of theirs constantly using tracking spells on Damon...and that hunter and his brother moved into Mystic Falls," Rebecca replied with a smirk knowing this information would please Klaus.

Klaus smiled a knowing smile and asked, "Odd place for him to bring his new family, isn't it?"

Rebecca shrugged, "It appears Damon is far more popular than we have him credit for. As far as our sources go...the marriage was annulled."

Even though he knew to expect that it didn't stop the glare Klaus sent to the night with dilated eyes.

__

Trembling, crawling across my skin.  
Feeling your cold dead eyes, stealing the life of mine.  


Bonnie was turning page after page in all the Grimoires she had at the Salvatore Boarding house. Since Damon had disappeared Stefan has asked her to look. Having the privacy and items, plus a strong vibe from Damon in his home was the best option for her to set up a make shift base there. Lit candles with high fire blazes as she chanted in Latin over one of the items that belonged to Damon.

She's tried every locator spell she could find. From the simplest to the most complex. Usually she would get a vision or a glance, as small as it may be, as to where that person is. But her vision was being completely blocked. She suspected as such when it came to dealing with Klaus.

Stopping her magic, the candles died down, and she sighed.

Stefan was suddenly in the doorway of the living room where she was with his arms crossed and a somber look on his face.

"Klaus' witches have him blocked pretty tightly, don't they?" he asked.

Nodding Bonnie replied, "I'm sure I can get something but...I'll need something very close to him. Something stronger than what we've been using so far. The more value it has to Damon the better."

Stefan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "That's going to be a problem. Damon is a lot of things but sentimental and nostalgic aren't some of those things."

Bonnie was about to reply when her cell phone beeped. Stefan's did as well. Looking over the message she looked at Stefan.

"Any idea why?" Bonnie asked.

"They're hunters. Restless bunch," Stefan replied with s shrug as he texted back.

"Who are you texting?" Bonnie said.

"Alaric. Telling him to spread the word that this meeting is taking place here. Since this is Damon's home, this is where your magic will more more powerful and our best chances of finding him. Besides I just remembered something that might work," Stefan said.

"What?"

"Alaric said that _everyone_ is coming over. I let Dean keep Damon's ring. Whether Damon thought much of it or not, that ring has been with him practically his whole vampire life," Stefan answered.

Bonnie frowned, "I saw the look on Dean's face when he realized what had happened. I saw the nearly pathetic look he gave you when he pocketed the ring. I still don't understand why he got married when he cared so much for Damon but he was heartbroken the last time I saw him...I'm not sure it's going to be easy to let him to give it back to us."

Since this has happened Bonnie's been spending a lot of time with Stefan. When he thinks no one's looking he fiddles with his own ring. From what she remembers, Damon had once abandoned his ring in a suicide attempt when he was bit by Tyler. The feeling of losing his last family member crashing down on Stefan as he gave everything, including himself, to save his big brother. Now it was happening again, and the last thing they really had of Damon was in the hands of the human who was practically responsible for this whole thing. Bonnie wasn't sure what Stefan was feeling towards Dean. She knew the reasonable person Stefan was but everyone had their limit...even a vampire. More specifically, a brother who's losing a brother.

"If asking nicely won't work then I'll have to do it by other means. I have Caroline and you on my side so if it comes to that well..." Stefan said, eyes downcast.

Bonnie gave Stefan a small smile. Damon may be a total prick sometimes but he was Stefan's only family, plus his older brother. The bond they shared as human never really went away, and recently it felt like they were healing. It may not be obvious but there were a lot of times in which the brothers could have killed the other...when they could have abandoned each other completely...or let them die...

But they hadn't. Stefan didn't give up on Damon when he got bit by Tyler, and Damon didn't give up on Stefan when he was in his Ripper phase with Klaus. It was a never ending cycle full of torment, and anger, and annoyance, and so many other complex feelings, but that was the way they worked.

The way the Salvatore brothers were.

_I believe in you, I can show you that I can see right through all your empty lies._

I won't last long, in this world so wrong.  


It was around evening that everyone gathered at the boarding house. Elena had arrived with Sam and Alaric. Bonnie had already been there. Caroline got there by herself. Dean drove up in the Impala.

"Has anyone thought of anyway we can find Klaus?" Caroline asked when they were all seated. Well, her, Elena, and Alaric were sitting on the couches. Sam and Dean were standing. Sam closer to the gang while Dean was leaned near the wall of the fireplace. Away from everyone. Bonnie was sitting Indian style on the floor overlooking her books. Stefan, with his arms crossed, entered the living room and stood in front of everyone.

"No. There has been no activity whatsoever. He's being as quiet as a mouse. We've checked old houses and apartments. Old hang outs. We've tried looking for his witches, his hybrids, and every vampire we knew or heard of that ever came in contact with Klaus. All of those places were empty without anything useful left behind. And everyone that made the list is gone," Stefan explained.

"Well...me and Sam were brainstorming and we may have a different approach," Alaric said, gaining the floor. Taking in everyone's silence he continued, "So far that's been our angle. Find Klaus or anything he's ever touched. But that hasn't worked so what about the opposite?"

"The opposite? That would mean trying to guess Klaus' next scheme...but what if he doesn't have a next scheme? He already got his freedom, he got his werewolf side activated, he got his hybrids, and he got his family...that was all he wanted for over the last thousand years. He's done...he can just hide away forever and no one will look for him. And why would they?" Elena asked.

"We are...because we're looking for Damon," Alaric said.

"That's another thing. From what we've gathered from the days leading up to the wedding, Klaus had tried to make contact with Damon. The wedding was just an circumstantial convenience that he took advantage of. What Alaric and I were getting at is that instead of trying to find out _where_ Klaus has taken Damon...to try to first understand _why_ he's chosen Damon. And then hopefully we can see for what and stop him," Sam explained.

"That's good. But before that there's something Bonnie wants to try," Stefan said. Both him and Bonnie nodded at each other and then looked at Dean.

Feeling their gaze on him he asked, "What?"

"Bonnie's been trying to use locator spells to track Damon but they haven't worked out. She can't see past the block Klaus' witches put on Damon. But so far she's been using random items that belong to Damon. As far as magic is concerned the stronger the connection the object has with the owner the more powerful the spell will be. Unfortunately my brother isn't very sentimental...the item that he's had the longest in on your finger Dean. We need it," Stefan said.

The room was dead silent. Everyone's eyes were on Dean. He instinctively covered the hand with the ring with the other hand. Shielding it from everyone's views.

"Can't you use something else?" there was a bit of desperate tone in his voice.

"I've tried. Normally I could work with the change from his pocket that's only been in there for an hour but not this time. We need his ring Dean...only for a moment. I'll give it back when we're done, promise." Bonnie said gently.

Biting his lower lip and looking down at his feet, Dean slowly twisted off the ring. He held it in his palm for a moment before he passed it to Sam who took it to Bonnie.

Bonnie smiled and went to work. She instructed Elena and Caroline which and how many candles to light. She had Alaric and Sam help her sort through her books. Stefan walked towards Damon's bar and served himself a drink. With a heavy heart and mind, he gulped it down.

"Mind if I have one?" Dean asked as he joined Stefan.

"Go ahead...word of warning, we might catch hell from Damon when he gets back," Stefan said idly as he watched the rest.

"The more reason to do so right? Rile him up?" Dean asked as he mimicked Stefan.

As they watched the others in silence, Dean cleared his throat but only so Stefan could hear him. The vampire raised an eyebrow at the hunter and Dean began, "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I should have given you the ring. If it belonged to anyone...it was you," Dean said.

"Don't worry about it. I already have a sun ring. I didn't need it," Stefan replied.

"That's not why I should have given it to you. Damon was my...we had a complicated relationship but you are his brother. I know it's different for normal brothers and not everyone has the brotherly bond that me and Sammy have, but you and Damon are still brothers, have been for more than a century and have been through a lot of bull shit. But in the end of the day, he's your big brother and...you have a right to the ring that I will never have," Dean said.

Stefan nodded and looked at Dean for the first time in their talk and said, "It's not just you. Damon has a complicated relationship with everyone. That's the way he is. If you wish you can hold onto Damon's ring until we find him. He entrusted it to you for a reason."

"Stefan," Bonnie called.

Both looked toward her and she frowned and shook her head: No luck.

"What a shame...good idea using this though," Katherine said with a smirk as she swiped the ring from Bonnie's grasp.

"Hey!" Bonnie called out.

"What are you doing here?" Stefan growled.

The brothers looked confused as they looked between the new comer and Elena.

"A little birdie told me that Damon was being held captive by Klaus. Now _that_ is an amusing thought," Katherine drawled.

"Do you know where he is?" Stefan asked.

"Hm...at the moment, no. But I can find him. I mean I did spend over five hundred years running from him...I'm sure I can reverse the process," Katherine replied.

"What do you want Katherine?" Stefan demanded.

"Oh, good question. But he's a better one...what is Damon worth Stefan? To you?" then she sneered at her copy. "To Elena?" then she smirked towards Sam and then Dean, "To others?" and finally returned her gaze back to Stefan, "...to Klaus?" Katherine asked with an air of mystery around her words. And in a blink of an eye she was gone.

"Guys...she took Damon's ring," Caroline said.

__

Say goodbye, as we dance with the devil tonight.  
Don't you dare look at him in the eye, as we dance with the devil tonight

"So far we've been hotel hopping...as exciting as it is, I'm getting bored," Damon told Klaus as they drove away from another city.

"Never one for patience were you Damon?" Klaus asked amused. He loved Damon's banter and attitude. He found it adorable.

Damon's head was leaning against the window, his chin resting on his closed fist. He turned his gaze to Klaus and with his signature smirk he replied, "That obvious?"

"Oh...I got you a new ring," Klaus said as he handed Damon the new ring.

Placing it on his finger, Damon inspected it.

"What's the crest on it?" Damon asked.

"My family crest," Klaus replied.

"Huh...so, you finally gonna tell me what it is we're going to do?" Damon asked.

Before he could reply, Klaus' phone rung. He checked the text message quickly before he pocketed his phone.

"For now we're merely gathering supplies, talents, and whatever catches my fancy," Klaus said.

"And afterwards?" Damon asked.

"Your Italian aren't you? Why not spend some time there? Refresh that native tongue," Klaus replied.

"Hm...I'll be far away," Damon said in a dazed tone. His own conscious struggling with what Klaus telling him.

"Is that a problem?" Klaus demanded.

"I...no, just...Stefan's..." Damon began.

"Stefan what?"

Shaking his head to clear the obvious fogginess, "Nothing. He can take care of himself...I think."

"You worry too much Damon...Stefan's a big boy," Klaus said dismissively.

"Yeah but..."

"But _what_, Damon?" Klaus growled, upset his control over Damon isn't as strong as it would be with others.

"Mother made me promise to protect him...to always protect him. It was the last thing mother asked of me..."

_Hold on. Hold on.  
_

It was bright and sunny the following day. Now that Damon could wonder around as he liked, he was allowed to wonder but was instructed to return to Klaus directly before dusk.

Pulling out his cell phone he called the person who texted him last night.

"Have I ever told you, you have impeccable timing?" Klaus asked.

"What can I say?" Katherine asked from the other side, Klaus could practically see her shrug.

"What do you want Katrina?" Klaus drawled.

"I know you have Damon with you...and without a ring. I know how much he loved that ring so I got it for him...that should make him such a happier camper at camp Klaus, don't you think?" Katherine said.

"I no longer have any use of you Katrina...I can't help but wonder why you're bothering to do this." Klaus said.

"I've been where Damon is...I'm just trying to help out a friend," Katherine tried to sound indifferent but Klaus could here it in her voice.

"Hm...Despite everyone choosing Stefan always...Damon was loved as well. Not as much, but as well. It's charming to know you're still able to care Katrina. But you needn't worry...Damon is being well looked after," Klaus said.

"But the rin-"

"_Keep it!_ It's a reminder of where it came from, of how he started..._rubbish_ memories that all began with a _stupid_ little whore who liked to take a bite of more than she could chew. Oh and do relay a message to my dearest friends in Mystic Falls: Damon hates you all and wants nothing to do with any of you. And he also wishes for you to stop looking for him.

"It's Damon so that is actually believable." Klaus hung up before she could reply. Looking at the phone with distaste he crushed it and threw it away.

"Such temper you have when you deal with her...Will you let me kill her?" Rebecca asked as she entered the room.

"No. As annoying as she is she has her traits that can be useful later on," Klaus sighed heavily.

"Hm...Looks like you can't get out of the states soon enough brother. As useful as I'm sure you think the doppelganger is, she's also a liability. Though her intentions are unclear, she has no problem crossing lines...neither of them do. Back stabbing bitches is what they are," Rebecca grumbled as she crossed her arms.

"Now now sister. Let bygones be bygones. We have much more to worry about. We need to find a haven where it is safe for all of us. You're right, the sooner we leave here the better," Klaus said glaring at here the crushed phone landed.

"She still loves him doesn't she? The reason she's getting involved is because she doesn't want to see him die...like they all assume is what you're planning. Always choosing Stefan...I never understood that. Damon was always more fun. But I suppose not everyone can handle him..." Rebecca mused.

"Hn, what those idiots never understood was they even though they were choosing the lesser of two evils they were still choosing evil. Once you become a vampire you will always be part monster. Greedy...selfish...and I got what I want, but will not risk others to take it back. When Damon returns this evening, we're heading to the airport," Klaus declared.

_Say goodbye, as we dance with the devil tonight.  
Don't you dare look at him in the eye, as we dance with the devil tonight_

After the whole fiasco with the ring, Dean shut himself up completely. He felt like a serious failed mission that he lost Damon's ring. Especially to the Elena lookalike bitch.

While Stefan and Caroline tried to give chase to that bitch, Bonnie and Elena, plus Alaric gave the brothers all the information they had on her. Katherine Patrova. It was her fault that most of all the shit that happened happened. She wasn't in the tomb, she lied and was the cause of the Klaus coming here, she was the Siren that caused the doom to the Salvatore brothers, and misery to everyone else in Mystic Falls. All she ever did was look out for herself. When she benefited she help out, when it stopped being in her favor, she high tailed it out of there.

When they returned empty handed Dean just slumped down into a chair and didn't move. They talked about what they should do next. They pondered what that bitch said about Damon's worth. They looked through books and exhausted all of their contacts.

Finally hours later of nothing Dean got up and headed towards the door without a word. Sam excused himself and said he was going to make sure Dean got back okay. Outside Dean was about to get into the Impala when he noticed the figure approach him.

"Here."

There was a clunk noise as the ring bounced a bit and landed at his feet. Dean immediately picked it up and looked at it with mystified eyes. He looked at the figure again but enclosed the ring tightly in his fist.

"Don't worry...I can't have it. I'm not sure if anyone besides you can," Katherine said as she got closer and allowed herself to step into the dim lighting. The others were quickly outside. "I've been at Klaus's mercy before...I thought I'd be nice to Damon and return it. Klaus didn't let me. I would have kept it myself seeing what Damon and I had but Klaus is a bigger dick than Damon ever will be. I can't wear his ring without it burning me." Katherine said with a frown that was giving way to a pout.

"Do you know where he is?" Stefan said as he approached them.

She looked at Stefan but this time without sarcasm or amusement, "No. But he says Damon has a message."

"And?" Dean demanded as he wanted to step closer but Stefan kept him back.

"Damon hates you all and wants nothing to do with any of you. And he also wishes for you to stop looking for him." Katherine replied and both Dean and Stefan felt like they were punched in the stomach.

"Do you believe it"? Stefan asked.

"No...it sounds like the message came from Klaus, not Damon. Damon loved playing with you all...he wouldn't have left like that. There's no reason...I want to find him Stefan. I'm better at this than you. Let me help," Katherine said, almost sounding like she was begging.

"And why should I?" Stefan demanded.

"Because without me you won't get far. And let me tell yo something I know about Klaus...he's not gonna risk getting what he wants taken away from him. If we don't hurry, we'll won't just be looking around the United States, but the whole world," Katherine replied.

"Why do you want to help at all?" Stefan asked, though you can tell he was wavering into letting her help.

"Because...I loved the both of you, I chose you and now you're spoken for. Our downfall was that I couldn't choose between the two of you. And even though to tell me you don't love me anymore, I still love you...the both of you. I will look for Damon on my own, it'll be easier if we work together though." Katherine said as she looked directly at Dean.

Stefan looked at the hunter too, who's fist was white with how tightly he was clutching the ring.

"I don't know what game you're playing Katherine but you will do what I tell you. Everything you know you tell us, and you do nothing unless you run it by us. Understood?" Stefan asked.

"Yes." and she was gone.

Stefan placed a hand on Dean shoulder. Said hunter handed the ring back to Stefan but the vampire shook his head, "Damon gave it to you. You hold on to it. Everyone can stay the night. Too much has happened and as much as I hate it, she's right. Klaus would leave the country if he wants. We'll start planning again tomorrow."

Everyone headed back inside but Dean and Stefan.

"Don't let what she said bother you. Damon's had enough of her to last an eternity. We'll just be using her to find him. And when we do I can promise you he won't look at her twice," Stefan said.

Dean walked towards the house, paused and said over his shoulder, "What makes you think he'll look at me once?"

_Hold on. Hold on._

Damon walked back to their last hotel in the United States that they were using. Klaus called from a new phone to tell him that they would be leaving tonight. He idly wondered what he would do from now on.

For the last century he was overlooking Stefan, making sure he was alright, but also being the vengeful big brother and made his life a bit difficult.

Now...Stefan wasn't his main concern...but he should be. Right before he was born, his mother had been very tired and in much pain. He had asked what he could do to help her. All she did was smile and asked that when the baby was born, to watch over him...like a guardian angel.

It had been Stefan's birth that caused them their mother, so he hated Stefan for that reason, but he loved his mother and her last wish was for him to take care of Stefan...always.

It was that promise that he accepted becoming a vampire instead of dying with pride and honor like his father had drilled into his head.

"Everything alright Damon?" Rebecca asked as he entered the room.

"I...I need to check on Stefan," Damon said in a daze.

Rebecca frowned, "I'm afraid that's impossible."

"Why?" Damon demanded.

"It's a matter you need to take up with Klaus. He's the one messing with your mind. Making you forget things and such," Rebecca answered with a shrug.

"Rebecca!" Klaus hissed as he entered the room.

"What? Just being honest. Something you don't seem to have a knack for," Rebecca said as she left the room.

"What did she mean?" Damon asked.

"Nothing...are you all set? We're leaving," Klaus said.

"I-" before Damon could even begin his sentence Klaus's eyes dilated and he looked into Damon's.

"You will not ask me about anyone in Mystic Falls. You don't care for any of them any more...we're leaving now and won't be back for at least another century. We'll live happily across the pond and let nature deal with those pathetic excuses for food! Do you understand?" Klaus demanded.

"Yes..." Damon's hazed reply.

Without word or struggle they made it to the airport and boarded a private plane. They were all settled and Klaus's smile couldn't have been more of a cat who got his cream.

As the plane took off, and Damon sat in one of the window seats, he couldn't understand why or to who, but he whispered, "Goodbye."

Klaus head him, but his smile didn't falter a bit.

__

Goodbye. 


End file.
